Atlanta streetcar a foundation for lasting success

The year 1949 was the last time the Freedom Train rumbled across America carrying our nation's founding documents. It was the last time we saw the number of traffic deaths as low as they were this past year.  And 1949 was also the last time Atlantans heard the familiar clang of a streetcar as it rolled through town. The last time, until now.

Yesterday morning, I was proud to stand alongside Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed at the groundbreaking of the new streetcar line in downtown Atlanta.  It was truly a special day, made all the more memorable by the very enthusiastic crowd who joined us to kick-off this great project.

Photo courtesy Thomas Wheatley, Creative Loafing Atlanta

This project was awarded the largest of our 2010 TIGER grants and with good reason.  The 2.6-mile streetcar line runs right through the core of the city.  It will provide much needed public transportation to small businesses, convention centers, and popular destinations like the World of Coca Cola, the Georgia Aquarium and the CNN Center. The line will also be a powerful catalyst for business growth in the areas it serves.

On this, the second day of Black History Month, I am proud to announce that the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site and the historic Auburn Avenue corridor, considered the birthplace of the Civil Rights movement, will also have stops along the route.

The new streetcar line also offers terrific environmental benefits.  By connecting seamlessly with other rail lines and bicycle routes, the streetcar will allow residents and tourists to get out of their cars and avoid downtown congestion.   The line will run on electricity and will release zero-emissions into downtown Atlanta. And the line's cars will be built using sustainable and recycled materials in a facility that uses renewable energy sources.

This is all part and parcel of the President’s vision of an America built to last.  As I said at the groundbreaking, Atlanta is at the forefront of America’s streetcar renaissance.  Across the country, there are communities like Atlanta that need the kind of transportation options, economic development, and environmental benefits that modern streetcars offer.  And there are men and women ready to roll up their sleeves and get back to work making these projects happen.

I want to thank the people of Atlanta for their tremendous welcome yesterday. And I’d also like to thank Governor Deal and Mayor Reed for putting politics aside to focus on building a strong foundation for a thriving Atlanta.  A lot of folks in Washington could learn something from from these two elected officials who have put Atlanta on track toward lasting success.  And, if Congress passes the long-term transportation bill President Obama called for in his State of the Union, communities around America can share that success.

 

Comments

[Mike Matejka]

Wonderful! Always good to see public transit restored and great for the nod to railroad history with the mention of the Freedom Train!

[Steve Osborne]

Thank you. This will help a lot in an area wbere there is a lot of neglected potential.

[Jack Jackson]

Exactly how is a streetcar in Atlanta a project of national significance? Let Georgia and the city pay for it.

[New Jersey Dermatologist]

This has been a long time coming and much needed. I'm curious what they will do to compensate all of the one-way streets in the downtown area